


Settle for Less

by ThursdayNight95



Category: Fallout 4
Genre: M/M, yes like the red vox song
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-19
Updated: 2018-12-19
Packaged: 2019-09-23 02:19:57
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,221
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17071619
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ThursdayNight95/pseuds/ThursdayNight95
Summary: Warren and Sturges consider settling down.





	Settle for Less

The reflection of the moon danced in the water. Birds chirped, the river rushed against the rocks and logs of wood holding the dock up, the cold wind blew defiantly against their coats and scarves, snaking its way through the holes in their clothes and onto their skin. No radio right now. Just looking out into the wasteland.

They'd been sitting like this for some time. Comfortable in the silence and the presence of one another. Sturges had a habit of scooting closer to him in the cold. Not that Warren could blame him. Body heat was body heat. Sturges was pretty damn warm himself.

Would Warren from even 2 years ago deserve a friend like this? Such a kind warm soul, always eager to help people without asking anything in return but a thanks? Sure, Nate was like that too, but there was something entirely different about the man sitting next to him right now. There was something in Sturges that John and Nate didn't have, he just couldn't place his finger on it.

"You ever think of settling?" Sturges asked, tearing himself from the shaking silhouettes of the trees and the starry night sly to look at him.

"Settling?" Warren laughed and laughed and laughed. "Fuck no."

"Why's that? You're always talkin' about a beach house, I think it'd be great for you."

"I'm not a settling man. Got too much baggage." he shrugged. "Once you run with raiders, you learn things. They'll kill you if they want your house. And a beach house guarded by one dude? Not gonna last long."

"If you let me tag along, I could build ya some nice turrets. Get you a nice shiny suit of power armor, too, to scare 'em off." he said it lightly, like he hadn't made such a huge insinuation.

"You wouldn't wanna settle down with me anyway. You turned Sanctuary back there into a real town. It'd be real stupid to leave it for an idiot with a shitty attitude." the wood creaked as he stood up and stretched. "I'm gonna warm up."

"Good idea." Sturges sighed, rubbing his arms.

Hot coffee straight from the campfire. Maybe not the best idea for a late-night drink, but it worked and it was damn delicious too.

Warren couldn't help but admire Sturges at times. The thought of settling had crossed his mind, but he'd said his piece on it. A man like Warren is not meant to stay in one place too long. Too dangerous, too stupid, or even worse, he'll start falling in love with the stupid handyman. Maybe it was his smile, or how warmly he talked to Warren. Or how good he was at everything. Or maybe Warren just loved what he didn't deserve. Why Sturges gave him the time of day was a surprise to begin with.

While stupid, Warren wasn't oblivious. Sturges liked him. Sturges didn't always give such caring, loving looks to others, or make excuses to touch them one way or the other. He certainly didn't talk so whimsically about his dreams for the future and sleep cuddled close (for warmth of course...) to them afterwards. Warren wished he was oblivious to this. It'd make running away hurt less.

"This has to be the stupidest idea we had yet, drinkin' coffee so late." when Sturges huffed, his breath came out like smoke.

"Not stupider than the whole 'painting a lit fire barrel' shit." Warren snorted.

"I was tryin' to forget." Sturges admitted.

And Warren smiled.

Painting a house together and decorating it would be nice. Old-fashioned, but... It was human nature to want to live in a space together. Far Harbor would've been nice if it wasn't batshit insane over there. He'd show Sturges his old house by the coast and his favorite fishing spot. There'd be no yelling, no side-eyes, no secret plans to get rid of someone.

Warren swallowed back the lump in his throat.

Why did he want this so much?

"If you did decide to settle down one day," apparently it was still on Sturges' mind too. "where'd you go? Takin' account of mirelurks and anglers."

"Dunno. Wouldn't matter, as long as I'm near the water."

"A born harborman!" Sturges grinned. "Were you born in Far Harbor or did you travel there?"

"Born. Raised by a single dad. Dunno what happened to him... Don't remember too much but he taught me to fish." he shrugged. "There's so many guns in the water. Pulled out my first one, restored it, and shot a raider right in the heart. Probably the coolest shit in my life." he grinned.

"You're a real prodigy." he elbowed Warren. Warren's smile didn't even waver as they got comfortable under the blankets.

"Didn't you say your dad taught you the ins and outs of your handyman shit? You mention him a lot. Is he still alive?"

"Long gone." Sturges smiled sadly. "He was a good man. Always knew how to fix everything, too."

"I'm sure he's proud of you." Warren had never heard his own voice so soft. "You fixed up a whole goddam town. Don't think there's a soul here who hates ya, either. Big accomplishment if you ask me."

"I hope you're right. Same can be said for you." Then he yawned and lay on the bed, like he hadn't just had a fresh cuppa joe. "Not every day a raider turns himself into a Minuteman. Usually the opposite."

"I'm not... I ain't a Minuteman. Just thought I'd try to help out the people I robbed when I was a..." Huh. Warren's gone real soft. Maybe it wasn't such a bad thing. No. No. No. It was a terrible thing. And it was terrible to Sturges, who had shitty taste in men.

"Hey. When we were talkin' earlier, about settling down."

Warren tensed. He could feel Sturges' heart thumping against his chest. The lights were out but he could still see his blue eyes dart somewhere else.

"I really wouldn't mind too leavin' this place. In a way it's like my home and my biggest project yet." he chuckled warmly. "But I don't think it'd hold a candle to the stuff we could get into together. I'd just have to make sure we have another dedicated handyman here before I leave with ya."

"You'd be all alone, Sturges. You know how much travelling I do. You deserve better than me anyway. And if we settled, we'd have to learn to farm, you'd have to shoot people, we'd have to gather tons of supplies and..." he shrugged. "Tons of shit."

Sturges considered this a moment, holding Warren's hand as he did so.

"Settling with one person is different than livin' in a settlement." Warren said, kissing the back of Sturges' hand without thinking, like a goddamn idiot.

Sturges' breath hitched. He held Warren's hand to his racing heart.

"See what you're doin' to me?" he chuckled. "No one's ever done that before."

"Sorry you can't handle my charm, handyman." Warren couldn't help but hold Sturges' face and bury it in his shoulder, bundling even more covers over them. "Goddamn, you're a good heater."

"Thanks, it's the embarrassment."

"Let's talk about this settling thing later. I wanna get a few winks in before the caffeine kicks in."

"Good luck. And, uh, good night."

"Night, Sturges."


End file.
